West Ham United may have endured a torrid season so far, but it can still be rescued.
The Hammers ended the last campaign well and started this term in a similar vein of form.
But the wheels came off after a victory over Manchester United in September with Manuel Pellegrini’s side winning just twice in 12 matches since.
The Chilean’s future is in doubt as a result, although a 1-0 victory at Southampton last time out has given the club some breathing space.
The January transfer window is famously a poor time to conduct meaningful business.
January window takes on new importance for West Ham
But this year it will be crucial to West Ham’s hopes of turning their season around and pushing for Europe.
The Premier League is tighter than ever with just eight points separating Tottenham in fifth and Everton right down in 16th.
So the Hammers can still harbour realistic hopes of mounting a challenge for a European spot IF they get things right next month.
Pellegrini can fix so many of the side’s problems by revisiting two deals which never materialised in the summer for Gabriel Barbosa and Stanislav Lobotka.
West Ham are woefully shot in central midfield. They lack any athleticism, pace, power and any sort of strength in depth.
In fact West Ham are a Declan Rice injury away from a crisis in the middle of a park.
New Modric is everything Hammers are missing
The Hammers wanted Lobotka in the summer but were priced out of a move by Celta Vigo (CalcioMercato and The Guardian).
The Slovakian, who has been compared with Luka Modric, and with good reason.
The all action, box-to-box midfielder has been excellent again for club and country again this season. But Celta find themselves in the La Liga relegation zone and facing financial turmoil.
West Ham ended up signing Pablo Fornals instead of Lobotka. But they are two completely different players and in truth the Hammers needed both.
The 25-year-old was N’Golo Kante-esque for the Slovaks during their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign. The diminutive star is everywhere and plays a high-energy but disciplined game in the centre of the pitch.
He would be the perfect foil for Declan Rice and Mark Noble.
Up front West Ham’s problems have been well documented.
Barbosa deal would make Irons a genuine threat
The club’s paltry £25m net spend left Pellegrini unfathomably short in the striking department with only Sebastien Haller as a recognised, proven senior forward.
They are missing pace and guile alongside Haller. And Pellegrini has been extremely fortunate that Michail Antonio has been in such fine form since returning from a long injury lay-off.
The Hammers have been linked with Brazilian forward Gabriel Barbosa since last January.
And Inter Milan have confirmed he will be sold in January. West Ham are reportedly keen to reignite their interest (Claret & Hugh).
If they can land the man who scored an outrageous 43 goals in 58 games on loan at Flamengo this year, it could change the entire look of the team.
Even without addressing concerns at right-back West Ham’s team with those two targets in the side is transformed.
A team of Fabianski, Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Lobotka, Anderson, Antonio, Haller and Barbosa could be formidable.
Who knows West Ham fans could yet be going on a European tour.
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